Plumbers in Carefree, AZ

Water in town comes from the Carefree Water Company, which is owned by a utilities district whose board is the Mayor and Town Council. Its 2025 report says delivered water averages 70% canal water from the Central Arizona Project, which carries Colorado River water, and 30% groundwater from local wells. The canal water arrives already treated by neighboring communities, and in 2025 all of it came from Scottsdale.

The mix depends on the time of year and your spot on the system. The company says some areas receive only treated water bought from Scottsdale, with no local groundwater, and suggests those customers also read Scottsdale's water quality report. Its own report puts hardness at about 14 to 16 grains per gallon, so size and set a softener for that range rather than for a single reading.

Census estimates put the median home in town at 1988, with about 55% built before 1990 and 41% from 1990 to 2009. About one home in five is held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. In houses of that age, original shutoff valves, supply lines, hose bibs and water heaters are the parts most worth checking, and a home that sits empty can hide a slow leak for weeks.

Before you leave for the season, turn off the water at your own shutoff and follow the maker's instructions for the water heater. The water company recommends a shutoff valve within 18 inches of your side of the meter, so you can shut off water to the house without touching the company's valve. For a remodel or repipe, start with the Town: its Building Department states that all construction requires a permit.

The water company maintains the lines up to and including your meter. From the meter's exit side to the point of use, including service lines and irrigation, the plumbing is yours. Because its system has several pressure zones, the company recommends a pressure regulator and a check valve between the meter and the house, and says that, in its experience, these valves begin to fail 5 to 8 years after installation. New services must have a customer-owned shutoff and regulator within 12 inches of the meter.

If a leak runs up a bill, the company's leak adjustment policy may help, at its discretion. It asks to be told within about two months of the leak starting, wants documentation of the cause and evidence of the repair such as receipts or photos, and applies an adjustment no more than once in 24 months. Keep the invoice and photos from any leak repair we make.